SLC softball outlasts FA in nine innings; B-M blanks N-N

BRASHER FALLS - The St. Lawrence Central varsity softball team rallied to claim an 8-7 decision in nine innings over Franklin Academy in a late-season NAC interdivisional matchup on Monday of teams that have clinched their respective regular season titles.

The Lady Larries went into the game leading the North Division standings but gained sole possession of the league title after Brushton-Moira handed second-place Norwood-Norfolk a 6-0 loss. SLC and N-N are slated to close out the regular season on Saturday in Brasher Falls starting at 11 a.m. in what had shaped up to be a showdown for the division title.

The Lady Huskies, who came into the game having captured the Central Division crown this spring, overcame a 3-0 deficit and led 7-4 after scoring a pair of runs in the top of the seventh only to have the Lady Larries rally to tie the game then pull out the win with a walk-off single off the bat of Chelsea Savage in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Lindsey Thayer went the distance for the win, striking out 16 while walking four and allowing six hits. Anne Sharlow pitched the first six innings then came back to work the ninth in taking the loss. Alissa McCauley worked the seventh and eight innings in relief.

Thayer also had a big day offensively going 4-5 with a solo homerun in the first inning, two runs scored and two RBI. Brandi Thomas was 2-5 with two runs scored. Haleigh Agans (runs scored, RBI), Liz Lynch (run scored), Caitlin Grow (double, run scored), Tera Douglas (RBI) and Breanna Vatter (RBI) all connected for solo hits while Noel Rufal came around to score a solo run.

Sharlow was 2-4 with an RBI and Erin McDonald was 2-3 with two runs scored and three RBI in leading the FA offense. Morgan Fountain and Whitney Legacy had the other hits while Janel Heden relayed a pair of walks into a pair of runs scored.

The Lady Larries scored solo runs in their first three at-bats before a two-run double by McDonald and an RBI-single by Legacy tied the game in the top of the fourth.

The Lady Huskies went ahead 5-4 with a pair of runs in the sixth then pushed their lead to 7-4 in the seventh. SLC staged a dramatic rally to tie the game with Thayer and Agans connecting for back-to-back RBI-singles before Savage drove in Agans with a sacrifice fly to leftfield.

After a scoreless eighth, the Larries put together the winning run in the bottom of the ninth where Thomas and Thayer led-off with back-to-back singles before Agans was issued an intentional walk. Savage then stepped up and hit a sharp groundball down the thirdbase line to drive Thomas in with the winning run.

B-M 6, N-N 0: In Norfolk, the Lady Panthers scored twice in their first two at-bats then sealed the victory with two more in the seventh to come away with the impressive late-season win over their Class C rivals.

Emily OConnor pitched the win, striking out six and walking three while limiting the Lady Flyers to just three singles. She also played a lead role offensively, going 4-4 with two doubles and three RBI. Jenna Dufrane was 2-3 with a two-run single in the second inning. Megan DeBeer had an RBI-single in the sixth. Ashley DeBeer singled and scored a run.

Katie Ames (1K, 3W) went the distance in taking the loss and had two of the three N-N hits. Mickey Frego had the other.

In NAC East softball action on Tuesday, Parishville-Hopkinton outlasted Madrid-Waddington 14-12 and Colton-Pierrepont blanked Tupper Lake 20-0. The lone Central Division matchup saw Canton gain a twinbill sweep at home over Potsdam and Harrisville played at Clifton-Fine in the only West encounter.

P-H 14, M-W 12: In Madrid, the host Yellowjackets built a 12-7 lead with a five-run surge in the fifth inning only to have the Lady Panthers counter with a decisive seven-run outburst in the sixth.

Kodi Perkins delivered a two run triple in the sixth and scored four runs in the game lead the Panthers. Jenna Converse (2-5), Mary Coventry (2-5), Monica Votra (1-4), Casara Cole (1-4), Marissa Paradis (1-4), and Nicole White (2-5) also contributed in the win as White fanned six batters in the complete-game effort where she allowed 14 hits.

Bridget Beldock supplied two doubles and a single and drove in a run while Emily Uppstrom connected for three singles and a double. Desiree Pryce (2-4 3 runs scored), Blair Cryderman (2-4 triple 2RBI), Taylor Marcellus (1-5), Logan Barkley (1-5) and Paige Moulton (1-4). Cryderman fanned four batters and allowed 10 hits in the loss.

C-P 20, Tupper Lake 0: An 11-run fourth inning sealed the win as Eve Whalen belted a two-run homerun and singled and Andrea Aldous connected for a triple, single and three RBI as Sabrina Johnson fanned eight batters walked two and allowed a single hit to Jessie Weigart in the fourth inning.